guywhotrolls?

[guywhofishes]

I've decided to learn how to pull cranks this year for occasions/conditions/boat-mates where pitching and/or bobbering aren't cutting it.

Here are some mods I made the last couple of weeks - along with buying/installing an xi5 and gateway that talk to my gen2 and gen3.

Any other purchases/mods I should consider? I already have line counters, both leadline and traditional.
I will include no descriptive text so as to foster maximum banter. #$%^&>









Thanks for playing.

#guywhowilltryseriouslytrollingcranksthissummer

 

[Ericb]

Whats with the life jackets or bags tied to the trailor?

 

[guywhofishes]

Whats with the life jackets or bags tied to the trailor?

those are 18" trolling bags tied 14" to either side of center - slung under the boat from forward cleats using 1/2" anchor rope

heat shrink at center to minimize fraying (for a while anyway)

I'll have to make sure I stow them before trailering to the lake ; )

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yeesh - galwhofishes needs to wash the boat!

 

[Ericb]

Makes more sense now that I can see the rope around the boat.

Im curiouse to hear how the extended fin helps with steering. I'd probably break somthing like that off the first day on the river.

 

[martinslanding]

I feel like something is missing?

 

[guywhofishes]

Makes more sense now that I can see the rope around the boat.

Im curiouse to hear how the extended fin helps with steering. I'd probably break somthing like that off the first day on the river.

yeah - you won't see me using it in areas with debris/gravel/rocks - I think it can handle some 2 mph collisions with the occasional logs

I built it "breakaway" so I can always replace it - I made a stencil and I can cut two or three from a $15 Target brand cutting board.

I plan to lock the main motor in place and steer with the trolling motor (and hopefully leave a lot of it up to the xi5 and gateway mapping system). I do that now and it works great but can be a pain since a guy has to oversteer a lot under certain conditions - the huge skeg will minimize battery usage since it relies more on keel/cutting to make turns rather than rely prop propulsion off to the side.

I doubt that Skegosaurus will work that well in conjunction with the bags

the bags are for slowing me down from my current lowest speed of 1.8mph if necessary

 

[Ericb]

If the bags dont work with that skeg youd think a trolling plate would work well.

 

[NDSportsman]

I wouldn't bother pulling cranks with a trolling motor takes too much juice. I also wouldn't have the bags right under the boat, I doubt they will work well there. When I had my big boat I trolled with my 115 at about 2.5-3 mph and thru a bucket out if I wanted to get down around 2. I hardly ever troll cranks less then 2.

 

[LBrandt]

^^^^^^^^ Ditto.

 

[Fishmission]

No one will ever say you have a small rudder

 

[guywhofishes]

I wouldn't bother pulling cranks with a trolling motor takes too much juice. I also wouldn't have the bags right under the boat, I doubt they will work well there. When I had my big boat I trolled with my 115 at about 2.5-3 mph and thru a bucket out if I wanted to get down around 2. I hardly ever troll cranks less then 2.

agreed - I was thinking using bags under other trolling/dragging presentations - or trolling with the wind and you're hussling along too fast

that's the point of the Skegosaurus - push with the fixed position main motor - steer with the electric which is mated to the charts and can follow pre-planned routes -

steering with electric works great - I've doen it a lot in the past when I half-heartedly trolled - will simply work better with Skegosaurus

I disagree with your assessment of bags under the boat not working - there are many advantages I can visualize
-they are never in the wind shadow
-always "biting water" - never fouled
-down out of the way from lines/fish
-you can turn on a dime because they're "anchoring" a pivot point 2/3 forward if that makes sense

not my idea by the way - discovered at walleye central etc. while researching how to slow down main motor for trolling - Google "two trolling bags under boat" or similar

guess I'll find out!

 

[NDSportsman]

I'd think the bags under the boat would collapse and not trap water well. Could be wrong I'll have to check it out.

 

[SDMF]

Buy this boat, replace kicker w/4-stroke unit, add I-Troll/Trollmaster, add planer pylon, riggers, and go full-on "Trolling Boat" for the days you need to troll. It'd be dryer and track better.

http://www.walleyecentral.com/classified/adviewer/168818

 

[guywhofishes]

I'd consider that if I had shops/storage for lots of toys!

 

[Fishmission]

that's the point of the Skegosaurus - push with the fixed position main motor - steer with the electric which is mated to the charts and can follow pre-planned routes -



That is the way I do troll steering as well. Wonder if it will cause too much drag when making sharper turns and taxing the motor?. Keep us updated.

 

[KDM]

I don't troll much, but looks like you have enough gear to be dangerous. Good Luck and catch a bunch!!!

 

[Vollmer]

I like the idea of the skeg. Wondering if it will be too large? Put torque on trolling motor when turning hard.

Keep us updated.

 

[guywhofishes]

I purposefully located its crosssection as centered on the rotation axis as I could to avoid torque in either direction

so water is pushing both the front and the back of the skeg with equal force if that makes sense?

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when a guy hits a log - or hits "jackrabbit" speed from a dead stop the torque on the shaft is monstrous compared to that which would occur from water at 2-3 mph IMO

 

[Vollmer]

Yup, I read ya.

I know, for me, on windy days, sometimes that trolling motor will be turned straight sideways to get me back on track (with kicker still pushing straight). I don't think it will be an issue, but curious on a report back regardless.

 

[DirtyMike]

Where's the cooler full of beers?